Opinion
04-21-00373-CV
10-20-2021
IN THE INTEREST OF L.G.V., A.J.G.V. AND M.A.G.V., Children
From the 408th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, Texas Trial Court No. 2020PA02329 Honorable Cynthia Marie Chapa, Judge Presiding
Sitting: Rebeca C. Martinez, Chief Justice, Patricia O. Alvarez, Justice, Lori I. Valenzuela, Justice
PER CURIAM
On November 18, 2020, the father of L.G.V., A.J.G.V., and M.A.G.V. filed a petition in the trial court seeking termination of mother's parental rights. On September 3, 2021, father filed a notice of appeal stating his intent to appeal a July 21, 2021 order or judgment. The clerk's record was filed on September 8, 2021. Although the clerk's record contains the judge's notes, the clerk's record does not contain a final order or judgment. See In re L.H., No. 04-13-00174-CV, 2013 WL 3804585, at *1 (Tex. App.-San Antonio July 17, 2013, no pet.) (noting judge's notes do not constitute a final order) (mem. op.). "[A]n appeal may be prosecuted only from a final judgment." N.E. Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Aldridge, 400 S.W.2d 893, 895 (Tex. 1966). Because it appeared from the record no final judgment had been entered in the underlying case, on September 29, 2021, we ordered appellant to show cause in writing no later than October 11, 2021 why this appeal should not be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Appellant failed to respond to our order, and the trial court clerk thereafter confirmed to this court that the trial court has not signed a final order or judgment. Accordingly, we dismiss this appeal for want of jurisdiction.
To protect the privacy of the minor children, we use initials to refer to the children. Tex. Fam. Code § 109.002(d); Tex.R.App.P. 9.8(b)(2).